On January 26, 2021, Brittney Mejico filed a lawsuit in California against Kraft Heinz Foods Company (Kraft Heinz), alleging the Kool-Aid website is not accessible per WCAG accessibility standards. As a result, the plaintiff asserts that the website is in violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act.
In Mejico v. Kraft Heinz Foods Company, as obtained from Accessibility.com, the complaint identifies at least five accessibility issues. The Bureau of Internet Accessibility did not test www.koolaid.com and isn't commenting on the presence or impact of the issues. However, it's important to understand the user impact the accessibility violations would have so you can avoid making these mistakes.
Understanding the potential impact of the allegations
"Missing alternative text..."
Alternative text refers to the text-based equivalent of information that is displayed or contained in images and other visual media. Alt text is among the most popular and most important parts of accessibility, and for good reason. Without proper alt text, image-based information is not available to screen reader users and some others.
"Linked image missing alternative text..."
The function of a link is expected to be clear to all users. Links are usually made of text, but they are also commonly hyperlinked images. When an image is a link, its alt text comes to serve the purpose of describing the function of the link. Without alt text, the purpose or destination of the link is not available to screen reader users.
"Language missing or invalid..."
The language that a page or its contents is written in should be identified so that screen readers and other technologies know how to correctly read and announce the information. This can also be helpful when it comes to translating content into another language. If technology isn't told what language the content is written in, it may mispronounce and misunderstand it.
"Empty links that contain no text..."
Links should be clearly-labeled and their purpose should be clear. If a link doesn't include and accessible label, the purpose or destination of the link is not available to screen reader users. For more information about links: Quick Guide to Accessible Hyperlinks.
"Redundant links..."
Consecutive links that go to the same place can be confusing or repetitive for some users, depending on how they navigate and the technology they use. The overall impact of redundant links may not always be critical, but it can be, especially if the links are labeled incorrectly or inconsistently.
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